New entry-level Smart #1 Pro slashes £4,000 off the EV SUV’s price

The Smart #1 electric car is now available in an entry-level Pro trim, reducing its base price to £31,950. This represents a £4,000 saving over the Pro+ model, which will continue in the range priced from £35,950. 

This price saving is derived from the use of a smaller 49kWh battery, rather than the 62kWh found in the rest of the range, which is capable of a WLTP range of 193 miles. Charging capability is slightly lower, with 130kW DC fast charging down from 150kW. 

Due to the smaller capacity, it’ll still charge the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes. Performance from the electric motor is rated at the same 262bhp, allowing it to hit 62mph in 6.7 seconds. 

There are no equipment changes compared to the Pro+, with the base car retaining the same active safety features and a 12.8-inch touchscreen display. Other high-end features like a panoramic glass roof, 360-degree cameras and a powered tailgate are also still standard fit. 

The #1 is Smart’s first car developed under Daimler-Geely ownership and is overseeing the firm’s transition to an all-electric car maker – although there were previous all-electric Smarts in the shape of the EQ ForTwo and EQ ForFour. 

The new Pro brings the number of available Smart #1 trim levels to four. Above sits the Pro+, then there’s the £38,950 Premium which adds larger wheels and a panoramic roof, and at the top there’s the performance-focused Brabus, which costs from £43,450. 

At this lower-end of the market, the Smart #1 Pro now undercuts rivals such as the closely related Volvo EX30 and even smaller supermini rivals like the Peugeot E-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric, all of which start at over £32,000.

How does the Smart #1 shape up against the competition? We put it up against the Renault Megane E-Tech to find out...